UTB establishes scholarship in honor of Benazir Bhutto

The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College has established a scholarship to honor the memory of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

Bhutto visited the college in 2004 when she spoke as part of its annual Distinguished Lecture Series. She was assassinated one year ago, shortly before Pakistan's election for prime minister.

"When she came to UTB, she touched us all," said Fitratullah Khan, who teaches computer science at UTB-TSC and helped to organize the endowment for the new scholarship.

Like Bhutto, Khan was born in Pakistan and came to the United States after finishing high school to earn a college degree.

Bhutto's message about the link between education and democracy rung true to Khan, who was astounded by the freedoms he was afforded when he came to the United States.

"Ms. Bhutto spoke about how educated people are going to choose the right leaders. They're not going to go for short-term solutions," Khan said.

Bhutto was a controversial figure in Pakistan. A descendant of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, she served as Pakistan's first female prime minister in 1988, but corruption and human rights abuses marked her tenure.

She went into exile in 1996 and, with U.S. support, returned in 2007 to campaign once again for prime minister.

Despite unresolved criticism, Bhutto stood to many for democracy, gender equality, and change.

She returned to Pakistan and continued campaigning, despite continuous attacks on her life.

Khan said that when Bhutto was assassinated at age 54, he watched on television in horror.

"We were stunned," Khan said. "We want to pay tribute to a person who gave her life up to her people. She knew she was going to be killed and she was very brave."

UTB-TSC will begin awarding the annual scholarship in the fall of 2009. The exact dollar amount of scholarship has not yet been determined. Preference will be given to Pakistani women, but all are encouraged to apply.